Alone know what this is?

[yoru]

So my old man forgot to hide my x-mas present he picked up in Laos and I was wondering if anyone had seen something me it before and might know what it was. Sme kind of pipe obviously, but unlike anything I think I've seen before.

I dont think that worked, but I don't have a pc around so emm....just check my twitter (kiseruyoru) to see them I guess. Man, living with only an iPhone for these things is strange, and doesn't work 100%.
*EDIT* Fixed your links, yoru -Jason

 

[nsfisher]

not sure what this means mate, sry

 

[mluyckx]

Ok, I can't be 100% sure from these pics, but it looks like an old opium pipe to me. More ornamental that actually functional, but nevertheless the shape, with the detachable bowl in about 2/3 of the length looks very much like it. With Laos being just south of the golden triangle, where most heroin/opium is produced historically, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what it was.
Looks really nice ! Nice gift.

 

[mluyckx]

Here's a picture I found

 

[yoru]

Thanks much for fixing the links Jason! Al right so I did some more research and each, definitely opium pipe. Two things sold me on it, first that it h the bowl cap, which a medwakh does not (tis just occurred to me due to mluyckx's picture). Second, I was pretty sure it is indeed ivory, not camel bone, and that makes a hell of a lot more sense out of an opium pipe. Then there is a third reason, the bowl has been sealed with metal. Can't thing of a remotely good reason to do that to a medwakh, but plenty of reasons to do that to an opium pipe.
There are some characters on it I still need to get translated though (my father will bring it to work this week, he has a friend or two who can read all sorts of asiatic languages. I'll update when/if I find out what is written on it.
Also---please excuse errors, typing on this thing is difficult enough, but it further insists on changing my words all the Iime due to little typos into something completely wrong rather than slightly misspelled.

 

[mluyckx]

Yeah... I'd treat it as a mantelpiece too.. But a nice one at that !

 

[yoru]

Oh absolutely ^.^

 

[mluyckx]

PS I looked at the pictures some more and noticed some lines. Could it be bamboo ? In any case, you've got a really, really nice gift there !

 

[yoru]

Heh, those lines are from the light shades. though I made a pretty big mistake in. My earlier inspection,I return to the camel-bone theory after getting it Nader better lighting and a bisecting lens (that's x 10 magnification n this case) I wastired earlier man, and didn't care enough to really pay close enough attention to detail. Ivesince had sme coffee and a shower :p. anyway, between the straight grain (wih some irregularities) and the lightweight it is much more likely camel bone or the like. I only say camel because it is a common choice. Of course.
frankly I prefer it to be 'just bone';however, ivory is very difficult to get into the states and I have no Papers on the the thing to prove it is over 100 years old, or previously purchased in the US (neither of which are true, probably). Heh heh
Addendum:
I think I need to stop trying to post on this stupid thing. My typing is bad enough on a keyboard.this ipad crap is just...intolerable

 

[zanthal]

It looks like it could be ivory ... if it is, then it might be worth a pretty penny.
Would be really neat to know the history behind it.
Whoops posted this too late. Didn't know the restrictions on ivory.
Either way someone somewhere has to be able to tell you about when and where it was made.

 

[seakayak]

It's an opium pipe. Merry Christmas from Southeast Asia.

 

[frennchy11]

I could be wrong, but it looks like a bone or antler material

 

[kf5eqv]

Interesting piece. I've always been a fan of the look of Opium pipes.

 

[acme]

The lines that run across the material are joints. Looks like it is at least three pieces.
The other things about importing ivory, it is the CITEs laws on importing Ivory don't come into effect until 1986. If the pipe came into the country before that, it is legal.
That it true for african ivory. Ivory from asian elephants is another story.
anthony

 

[brazz]

Thanks for the pics, a piece to add to your collection.